First Responders-what do you EDC?

[appliance brad]

This isn't about First Aid or Trauma bags. It's about what, if anything do you carry on your person every day. I'm a POC FF/Medical First Responder in a rural county. I've got First Aid kits in all our vehicles and a pretty complete trauma bag that goes in whatever vehicle I'm driving. None of those are going to be with me at the store, in church or out socializing. Again, that is not what this thread is about.
I carry a pair of nitrile gloves and a barrier mask plus a few Band Aids in a glove pouch on my belt. It's plain and discrete and can go with anything from my jeans to a nice suit. I also have at least 2 lights, a Photon LED on my neck knife chain and another light (Surefire, Fenix or even a mini mag) clipped to a pocket or in a light holder.
I'm curious what the rest of you might have with you on a day to day basis. There is a ton more stuff that might come in handy but most of us are not going to lug around a bigger pouch when we are off duty. So what do you all EDC?

[NinjaMedic]

I will leave out the weapons as im sure that you are more interested in the medical gear.

I carry nothing on my person except for the occasional pair of nitrile gloves.

[lexmedic157]

nothing on my person other than a pair of nitrile gloves. and aside from my trauma bag, my EDC bag has bandaids, etc in it. simple stuff.

[appliance brad]

@Ninjamedic-yes, this is not a discussion of "what has he got in his pocketses". Weapons are a whole different topic.
It sounds like we are on the same page with a pair of gloves and perhaps a light source. I am always on the look out for something I might be missing that is so simple an idea one goes "why didn't I think of having that?" I like to have a Band Aid or two along. They mostly get used on me but they are nice to have to offer to someone who has sprung a minor leak. Anyone else?

[vaspence]

I wore Vertx pants/shorts most of this year for work and play. I found the inner pockets of the cargo pockets ideal to hold a SWAT-T, primed gauze, ADC cpr shield, 3 or 4 bandaids, wipes and a pair of gloves. Sounds like a lot but you don't notice it in the inner pockets and you have the ability to do a lot with a little. I just checked and I have 4 bandaids, 2 alcohol wipes, a PAWS wipe and a face shield in the SWAT-T bag with the TQ. About the size of a deck of cards. The primed and gloves go in the other pocket and are unnoticeable in regards to weight.

Don't carry anything with jeans/dress pants.

Spence

[Skintop911]

On my person: Knife, light, pair of gloves. Everything else I'm apt to need can be found on the patient, on me, or improvised in the environment until EMS/FD/PD arrives.

In my vehicle/BOB: FAK/BOK, and larger aid bags.

[Vic303]

Originally Posted by appliance brad

@Ninjamedic-yes, this is not a discussion of "what has he got in his pocketses". Weapons are a whole different topic.
It sounds like we are on the same page with a pair of gloves and perhaps a light source. I am always on the look out for something I might be missing that is so simple an idea one goes "why didn't I think of having that?" I like to have a Band Aid or two along. They mostly get used on me but they are nice to have to offer to someone who has sprung a minor leak. Anyone else?

Disclaimer: I am not any sort of medical personnel but I have a good friend from here, who is former medical. His suggestion was to have a BLUE LED like a SOLED from Countycomm or some place, so you can see blood more easily on an injured person, in the dark.

The Photon/SOLEDs are more than small enough to EDC. And the SOLED ones come with a little clip that will mount on a cap brim for hands free use.

[motorwerks]

Surefire pen, Light, and once in a while gloves, but its rare. My bag sits in my truck between the seats. My wife knows where it is, my kids will when they are old enough, my friends have all seen it etc. They could start that way while I started an assessment or compressions or whatever.

[appliance brad]

The real reason for my posing the question is to show that most people get way too hung up on what to lug around with them. I see posts all the time about hauling BOK's, hemostatics, TQ's, decompression needles and tampons.

If you have gloves, you can likely improvise a pressure dressing or even a TQ. However you most likely won't need to carry much more. Even CPR barrier masks probably are not needed with the current emphasis on compressions and not on breaths. I think we become much to hung up on gear and not so much on skills. If the medics here see fit to go light on equipment, the typical person with a 3 hour first aid class behind them probably needs a lot less in stuff.

[Spoon]

I used to carry quite a bit of stuff in my pockets. Now its pretty much just gloves, emt shears, tape, Oakleys, and a Izula knife.

[appliance brad]

Spoon, how's the Izula working for you? I've thought they would make a great EDC.

[brit]

Dont forget the Vicks for the UTIs, Decub Ulcers, Piss, Shit, and Decomposing matter.

I always have a Vicks inhaler, pen light, knife, and occasionally flattened out coband and nitrile gloves if I was on shift previously.

[citizensoldier16]

As a paid county paramedic, I don't really mettle too much in scenes while off-duty...too much liability, even given the "good samaritan" laws.

However, if I see something that is truly life threatening (provided I'm in my vehicle) this is what I have readily available:

knife
trauma shears
fire extinguisher
CPR shield
trauma dressings

And the most important item:
CELL PHONE

I consider anything other than BASIC first aid to be over the top and not worth the potential legal hassle. There are a lot of truly grateful people in this world who would shake your hand for saving their lives in a time of need...but its the handful of assholes who would sue your *** in a heartbeat over a valiant, yet failed attempt at something more that I worry about. With that in mind, you'll never see a red light on my dashboard, a red line on my bumper, or a star of life decal on my rear window.

My advice to every FR, volunteer EMT and the like:

Don't be gung ho...do what is necessary and call the proper authorities.

[fireftrjef]

As a paramedic myself, I just carry pretty much what others carry in their pockets...Minus gloves, which are in my bag.

I have a "BLS" bag in my truck. My most important tool for me is having my cell phone available. Off duty I keep it basic. My bag is stocked up with the basic stuff such as airway adjuncts, a BVM, and seperate face mask (if needed) for supporting the "A" of the ABC's. Then the rest is various bandaging/guaze/pads dedicated to stopping or controlling major bleeding as in a trauma situation.

My main concern being off-duty, is supporting the airway and breathing, circulation (chest compressions obviously) and addressing major bleeding till help arrives.

Going any more advanced than that on my off time just brings in a whole new set of circumstances and concerns...and in todays world liability.

[swsmailman]

Being a Volunteer Firefighter and EMT, pretty much the only thing I carry everyday is a small streamlight pen flashlight, kershaw knife, and swiss army knife. Pretty much everything else is in my truck which is my first aid kit, rescue hammer, and gear bag of bunker gear and wildland fire gear.

[Ledanek]

I searched the forum and found this to have EDC tagged, so I'll post here:

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger and getting this ITS EDC Trauma Kit.
What sold me is the SWAT-T Tourniquet / Pressure Bandage combo.
I see more serious folks carry a CAT tourniquet, but for EDC, its kinda off for me.

Is there a better kit for EDC? My "spidey-sense" is tingling, hence, I better ask here first.
Thanks.

Again, this is for EDC.

[dmaxfireman]

A pair of gloves and a knife. My smart phone has a flashlight app for checking pupils i there is not enough overhead light to do the hand shadow.



For you guys carrying a breathing barrier. I under no circumstances am going to tell you what to do but would suggest that you check up on new protocols for your locality.

Understanding that studies change on a weekly basis current training for us in CT shows that continuous rapid and effective compressions are far more effective than providing compressions pause manipulate airway then breathing unless you have a second person available and have a viable airway established.

The lungs will hold enough usable 02 for you to do compressions for quite some time until ALS arrives and can drop an et tube. If you are giving rescue breaths and do not manipulate the airway well enough you fill the stomach and get puked on making it significantly more difficult to drop the tube as well as increase the chance of the patient aspirating the vomit.

[Shoulderthinggoesup]

If you use up the reserve capacity of the blood and lungs in CPR, it is pretty much too late anyways.


I don't carry anything on me day to day, but have a pretty decent trauma/med kit in my car. Nothing beyond BLS and some and nice set of meds for personal/family use (epi etc.)

[chuckman]

EDC? Nothing...maybe a pair of gloves every now and then. Have the 'bag' in my range gear and in my van.

[T2C]

CPR Micro-Shield, rubber gloves and a knife.